Government sends another humanitarian aid to the residents of temporarily controlled by terrorists territories of Donbas

The Government has taken a decision to make another attempt to deliver humanitarian aid to the population of the territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, those residing on the temporarily controlled territories by the Russian-led terrorists, Prime Minister of Ukraine Arseniy Yatsenyuk said at a meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers on Wednesday, 24 December.

"The situation is extremely complicated, as the Russian terrorists made hostages the people who live on the territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, temporarily not controlled by the Central authorities", said the Head of Government.

He stressed that the humanitarian catastrophe that has now occurred on the territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, “is connected with just one thing: Russia does not implement the Minsk Protocol, we do not have access to those areas where are operating the Russian terrorists, who should be taken away so that to provide people an opportunity to live a normal life", "The sooner the Minsk Protocol is fulfilled and the sooner the Russian military and the Russian terrorists leave the territory, we will be able to regain control over the respective territories and, consequently, people will not suffer."

Moreover, at today's session the Cabinet of Ministers will adopt a decision to unblock values of the State material reserves, and the funds have been allotted from the State Budget to form a humanitarian aid, "We are doing our job. The people need help, there are Ukrainian citizens there".

He reminded that a tripartite meeting of the contact group in Minsk was planned, "Not contacts are significant, but decisions: they let our humanitarian cargo through, implement the Minsk Protocol, get away from the Ukrainian land, and then, step by step, we will stabilize the situation. Including an issue of the restoration of infrastructure of Donetsk and Luhansk".

According to the Head of the Government, to restore the infrastructure of these areas, the Cabinet of Ministers and the European Investment Bank signed a financial deal worth Eur 200 million, "So the sooner we regain full control, the sooner we will be able to send funds there, to rebuild schools, hospitals, railway and to ensure normal life for the citizens".

Arseniy Yatsenyuk informed that the delivery of humanitarian assistance is within the responsibility of Vice Prime Minister, Minister of Regional Development, Construction, Housing and Utilities of Ukraine Hennadii Zubko.

The Vice Prime Minister reported that day there was formed a humanitarian cargo at the total weight of 326 tons, "Tomorrow, from Kharkiv, at 9:00 there will be sent three columns in the direction Kramatorsk, Severodonetsk and Pavlograd". This assistance, according to Hennadii Zubko, is intended primarily for the social institutions located on the territories, temporarily not controlled by the authorities: nursing homes and homes for the elderly.